The words “fashion rental” tend to inspire mixed emotions within me. On the one hand, I can see the inescapable logic behind hiring a tuxedo, or ball gown, or a mesmerizingly beautiful (but prohibitively expensive) designer dress for a special event. That, to me at least, makes sound fiscal sense.

What doesn’t is renting, say, a Balenciaga Giant City handbag for $293 a month, or a pair of Chloe’s Myrtle sunglasses for $58. It is, I’ll admit, a quick fix. It’s an instantaneous way to get your hands on whatever eye candy is currently causing you sleepless nights but, like regular candy, it’s a fleeting experience that can leave you feeling worse than when you began.

For at the end of the month, as with any shopping experience, your bank account is lighter. Except, disturbingly, you have nothing tangible to show for it. These are bargain placebos – you imagine that you’re getting a deal when, in reality, you’re not.

Take those Chloe sunglasses, for example. A little web wandering earlier this week would have found the exact same pair, on sale, for $145. Or, less than the cost of three months’ rental. The difference being that, by the end of summer, they’d have been yours.